Contents

Who we are

What we do

Our approach

Learning

Caring

Demonstrating outcomes

What they say

Contents

Who we are

What we do

Our approach

Learning

Admission

Therapies

Home School Partnership

Governors

Headteacher: Mrs Julia James

Who we are

Bedelsford School is a special school which aims to provide innovative education and a

challenging environment for pupils who have a wide range of complex learning and physical

disabilities, including profound and multiple learning difficulties and complex health needs. We

offer day school provision for students aged 2 to 19 years old.

All the classes are small with excellent support from experienced and well-trained staff. The

National Curriculum is differentiated to suit individual needs and all pupils have their own individual

learning targets.

The Nursery and Reception classes follow the Early Years Foundation Curriculum.

The Primary and Secondary Departments follow the mainstream model with input from specialist

teachers in sports, music, drama and art.

At KS4 all pupils follow accredited courses within the Foundation Learning Curriculum where

appropriate pathways are created to provide best learning outcomes for all students.

Our newly opened Sixth Form provides learners with opportunities to follow the MOVING On

curriculum and receive ASDAN and OCR accreditation.

The school is well supported by a team of therapists who work alongside the teaching staff and

include speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and a full-time

nurse and healthcare assistant. The school also has a music therapist, swimming teacher and a

counsellor.

The school has excellent facilities including a Multi-Sensory Area and Sensory Theatre. Therapy

provision includes a hydro-pool, sensory garden, science garden, sensory theatre, large

physiotherapy room and a multi-sensory learning area. There are two outside recreational areas,

one for primary and one for secondary-aged pupils. All of these areas are fully accessible to pupils

in wheelchairs.

The school is fortunate to have its own catering facilities with fresh meals prepared daily on site

located in the centre of Kingston-upon-Thames the school is easily able to access the local

community, especially at Key Stage 4 and Sixth Form when vocational courses focus on

independence skills. The school also makes full use of local facilities for leisure and sport.

In 2016 the school was inspected by Ofsted and judged to be Outstanding.

What we do

MISSION STATEMENT

Working together to make the most of every child’s ability in:

Social and Emotional Skills

Cognitive and Thinking Skills

Independence Skills

Physical and Mobility Skills

Communication Skills

VISION STATEMENT

Bedelsford School provides a stimulating yet safe learning

environment in which all pupils are supported to engage in and

enjoy their learning whilst managing their physical difficulties and

complex health needs.

We aim to facilitate the growth of independence, the

achievement of every pupil’s potential and the development of a

positive attitude to life after school.

SCHOOL HOURS

09.00 – 15.20 Monday – Friday

Morning 09.00 – 12.00

Lunch & Clubs 12.00 – 13.30

Afternoon Session 13.30 – 15.20

Pupil attendance is very encouraging and parents and carers support the high standard we

aim to achieve. Our attendance rate is in keeping with that of similar special schools which

recognises the higher incidence of absence due to hospital visits and other health related

concerns. There are very few unauthorised absences and we aim to work closely with parents

and carers to ensure all children attend within the requirements of the law.

Demonstrating outcomes

What they say

Our approach

Bedelsford School is committed to providing the highest quality setting for all children. We

aim to offer support according to the differing strengths and needs of individual children

and their families.

We follow the National Curriculum adapted to the individual needs of the children. Pupils

have individual termly curriculum goals and they are also set targets called Individual

Learning Intentions which address their barriers to learning.

Our whole approach to education at Bedelsford School is underpinned by our Key Skills:

Social and Emotional Skills

Cognitive and Thinking Skills

Independence Skills

Physical and Mobility Skills

Communication Skills

We strive to ensure that our young people achieve their maximum potential

We give all young people the opportunity for educational development to the highest

possible level, together with the development of each individual’s talents, abilities, skills and

understanding. We aim to give young people with learning difficulties the very best

opportunity to achieve their maximum potential and lead fulfilled happy lives.

Working with Families and Carers

We encourage parents and carers to be as involved as possible in the young person’s

learning programme. We operate an ‘Open House’ policy and parents/guardians are

welcome at any time.

Parent/guardian partnerships

We recognise the importance of parent partnerships and feel very strongly that parental

support helps our young people achieve their maximum potential while at Bedelsford

School. In addition to Annual Review meetings there are parents’ evenings and regular

celebration assemblies.

School organisation and structure

Our staff ensures that our young people feel secure and are comfortable in their school

environment. They are committed and highly skilled and are our most important asset

Learning

The curriculum is defined as everything that a child learns within the context of this school.

We have an interactive approach to curriculum provision, the principles of which are:

valuing the process rather than the product

giving importance to experiential learning

making the curriculum highly motivational and accessible

reducing barriers to learning

developing the learner’s understanding of the world

having the flexibility to respond to the needs of individual learners

integrating therapeutic input and programmes in a meaningful way

valuing communication and social interaction

child-centred active learning

valuing the acquisition of skills and understanding

Each term we have a focussed theme and provide additional days when the whole school

has an amended timetable. Outside speakers and visitors are invited into school for special

activities which usually culminates in a sharing assembly. Learning through enjoyment and

engagement is the focus of these very varied weeks.

To support the learning within the classroom, many visits are made into the local area and

the wider community, for example to Kingston Market, Museum or local leisure facilities.

Details of visits further afield will be sent to parents well in advance. Outside speakers and

visitors are also invited regularly to the school. The school has two minibuses with

wheelchair lifts thus providing excellent travel conditions when accessing out of school

provision.

The school encourages inclusion opportunities with mainstream and special schools to

support pupils’ social and academic needs. Other links include working with charities and

voluntary organisations and with higher education and other institutions.

For some pupils it is appropriate to begin an individual programme which will give support

towards a full-time mainstream school placement.

Another aspect of Bedelsford School’s outreach role is to offer in-service training to

mainstream colleagues, including Assessment, Makaton and Manual Handling, to raise

awareness of SEN pupils’ rights to equal access to mainstream activities and to receive

highest quality provision.

Admissions

Referrals and admissions can occur throughout the year and at any age. Formal

applications for admission should be made by the appropriate Local Authority (LA),

although families and carers can request an informal visit.

Students are admitted under a variety of conditions:

when they have a statement of special educational need which is generally defined

as having learning difficulties associated with physical medical or sensory conditions or

EHCP

on assessment placements when they do not have statements of special educational

need or EHCP, usually below statutory school age;

on emergency provisional placements where, for example, a child arrives in the school

catchment area unexpectedly with a specific need which can be met by the school

on a temporary basis, when they do not have a statement or EHCP and are not the

subject of an assessment, for example, when a child has a serious injury but is likely to

recover in the short or longer term

Such admissions will only be made following consultation between all affected parties,

and must be supported by the LA of the pupil.

Contents

Who we are

What we do

Our approach

Learning

Caring

Demonstrating outcomes

What they say

Therapies

Physiotherapy

The physiotherapy team comprises qualified staff and physiotherapy assistants specialising in children’s

physiotherapy. When pupils start at Bedelsford their physical needs are assessed by a physiotherapist

and following this an appropriate individualised physiotherapy programme will be set up if required. This

will be integrated into their daily routine at school and will be carried out by the physiotherapy team or

classroom staff. Physiotherapy may be on a 1:1 basis or as part of a group. Some children have the

opportunity for aquatic therapy in the hydrotherapy pool as appropriate.

Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)

The Speech and Language Therapy Team consists of Your Healthcare therapists who see Kingston &

Richmond children and a school employed therapist who sees out-of-borough pupils. In addition, a

dysphagia specialist visits each half term and on request.

Each pupil is assessed and an appropriate programme is put into place which is then followed through

by integrated SALT and teacher-led groups. Targets are integrated into the child’s IEP.

Therapy may focus on the following areas:

Eating and drinking skills; oral skills; receptive and expressive language; alternative and

augmentative communication systems such as Makaton signs, symbols or voice output

communication aids; functional communication and social skills.

The service aims to work closely with parents/carers/teachers/ nurses/teaching assistants and others

involved in providing an integrated approach to communication and/or feeding. Therapists work

with pupils on a group basis within the classroom. Staff receive on-going specialist speech and

language therapy training.

Therapists contribute to the pupil’s Annual Review/EHCP’s. Informal workshops are offered during the

year, for example Makaton training. Parents/carers are welcome to contact therapists at any time if

there is anything they would like to discuss.

Occupational Therapy

The Occupational Therapy team consists of Sensory Smart Child therapists who see out of borough

children and Achieving for Children therapists who see Kingston children. Pupils are assessed and where

appropriate a programme put in place which is then followed through by integrated OT and teacher

led groups. Targets are integrated into the child’s Individual learning plan and OT boxes of appropriate

equipment set up for use in class and throughout the day.

Therapy may focus on:

Meeting the sensory needs of the child

Devising programmes to support skills needed for functional learning

Advising and recommending adaptive equipment to improve functional ability

Advise and recommendation for class and personal care seating and facilities

Contributions to Annual Review and EHCP’s

Training for staff teams and parents

……… continues overleaf

Therapies continued

School Nurse

The school has full time nursing supported by a full time health care assistant

The Nurse aims to: -

monitor, promote and maintain the health of the pupils

support pupils with their special needs through care planning, primarily with individual pupils and

parents/carers

give prescribed medication

support and train teaching assistants in specific areas of care

support pupils towards a healthy lifestyle

liaise with parents and carers when changes take place

keep the school community up to date with current health issues

School Counsellor

A counsellor is available for pupils and their families, especially for a befriending/listening role, usually one

day a week, and may be seen by request.

Music Therapist

The school provides music therapy. Children can be referred through school staff, parents or other

professionals and children are seen by the therapist either individually or in small groups.

Home/School Partnership

We welcome and encourage parents who take an active role in their child’s education as

well as being part of the wider school community. The partnership between home and

school is one of the key elements of building a happy and successful school for all our

children and young people. You are welcome to make an appointment to see your child’s

class teacher or any member of staff.

Other things in place include:

Home/School communication books

Parents’ Evenings organised termly, to discuss student’s progress, needs and targets

Annual Reviews and other reviews are organised throughout the academic year

according to individual need.

Newsletters, which give details of school events and activities

Parents are invited to end of term performances, a Christmas carol service and other

seasonal events.

Transport

Your local education authority provides home-school transport when it is specified in your

child’s statement of special educational need. Pupils travel to and from school in ramped

minibuses or taxis and the escorts provide a vital daily link between home and school. It is

the parent/carer’s responsibility to notify transport of alterations in regular arrangements.

Governors

The Governors are all volunteers who form the Local Governing Body. The Governing Body has three

core strategic functions:-

1. ensuring that the vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school are clearly defined

2. ensuring that the head teacher performs her responsibilities for the educational performance of the school

3. ensuring the sound, proper and effective use of the school’s financial resources

Governors at Bedelsford take these roles seriously and give of their time willingly to make sure that all

of the above happens.

The Local Governing Body comprises 10 governors plus the Headteacher, and is led by the Chair and

supported in its work by the Clerk to the Governors.